Liquid-fuel tank.



J'. A. STEINMETZ.

LIQUID' FUEL TANK. I APPLIOATI'ON TILED OUT. 16,1909.

Patented May 17, 1910.

M A mm? ATZOR/VEK WITNESSES."

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

zrosnrn A. STEINMETZ, or PHILADELPHIA, PnnnsYLvANm.

mourn-FUEL TANK.

To a'll whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JosErH A. STEIN- METZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Liquid-Fuel Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved liquid fuel tank suitable for use with motor vehicles and boats or the like. Its purpose is to provide improved means for automatically signaling when the contents of the tzink has been reduced so that there is a definite" amount in reserve.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a tank embodying my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view thereof.

The apparatus, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a tank 1,. having the, discharge pipe 2 leading from ,the bottom thereof, by which the fluid is conveyed to the engine. A division plate or partition 3 is placed in the tank, preferably on the opposite side of the centerfrom the outlet 2, and provided with the flange 3. which is fixed to the inner surface of the tanks cylindrical shell. The plate 3 extends from the bottom of the tank, preferably to apoint considerably below the top, to form a compartment 4 which will hold the amount of fuel which it is desired to have in reserve,- the top of the'plate being bent toward the compartment 4 to reduce splashing there from over into the complementary compart ment 4.

A valve casing 5 is placed in the lower part of the tank against the plate or partition 3, and a port 6, passing through the casingand the diaphragm, serves to'establish communication between the compartments 4 and 4 of the tank, the latter com-; municating directly through its bottom with the pipe 2. A rod 7 is provided with a threaded bottom 7 "which screwsinto the valve casing 5 and acts as a valve for controlling the port 6. A journal bearing 8,

' fixed to the partition 3 near its to serves to hold the rod 7, which is journale therein. An aperture 9, closed by a screw cap 10,

is formed in the top of the tank above the partition and the valve rod, so that fuel.

Patented May 17, 1910.

the fuel level has fallen to the top of suchpartition and thereafter the liquid will dischar e from the compartment 4 until the supp y therein is exhausted, which will be indicated by the action of the engine. The operator then knows that he has in reserve the definite amount of liquid which is contained in the compartment 4, below the level of the partition, and which will carry him a known distance.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A tank containing a partition forming two compartments, valve mechanism dis-. posed near the bottom of said partition for controlling communication .therethrough between said compartments, an outlet for discharging from the bottom of one of saidv compartments and an inlet through the top of said tank over said partition for charging both of said compartments simultaneously.

2. A tank having an inlet, a partition rising' from the bottom to a termination below said inlet, said partition forming com artments, a discharge passage leading rom the bottom of one of said compartments, and valve mechanism controlling a passage through the bottom of said partition whereby said compartments communicate, said valve mechanism comprising a casing containing a port and a revoluble rod having a threaded engagement with said casing forcontrolling sald port.

3. A tank containing a partition which rises from its bottom to a level below the top thereof, said partition having its upper porfproviding a passage through ing from the bottom of the tank to a'terminus below said inlet, said partition forming compartments, and valve mechanism controlling a passage through the bottom of said partition whereby said compartments communicate, said valve mechanism being wholly within said tank and comprising a casing containing a port and a longitudinally movable rod accessible through said inlet. J 10 In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name this 15th day of October, 1909.

JOSEPH A. STEINMETZ. Witnesses:

ROBERT JAMES EARLEY, Jos. G. DENNY, Jr. 

